Potions, Pranks and Psychology
by Fancy-Hart
Summary: Written for Y5 House Competition. Prompt: [Speech] "Hey [Name], do you want to help?" / "I wish I could, but I don't want to." Not Submitted to the Contest.


Team: Eagles

Class: Potions,

Story: Drabble

Prompt: "Hey [Name], do you want to help?" / "I wish I could, but I don't want to."

Word Count: 917

"Hey Snape, do you want to help?" The slim teen glanced up at the other Slytherin student who had interrupted his reading. He sneered. "I wish I could, but I don't want to," causing a huff of amusement to come from the blonde aristocrat that sat across from him, and a grunt of indignation to come from the question asker, who muttered "Pompous ass" under his breath as he stormed out of the common room.

Lucius Malfoy looked up from the book he was reading and watched his younger housemate. "Now now Sevvy - he was only trying to be nice," he mocked.

Severus did not look up from his own book as he replied, "Shut up, Lucy," making the blonde laugh.

It was the week before school ended, and as tradition dictated, the upperclassmen were arranging pranks to be carried out on the teachers and other houses. Tonight, Slytherin was planning to enchant all of Gryffindor's shoes to simultaneously get up and dance the chorus line throughout the school. This was in retaliation to Gryffindor charming all of their ties to show Lions that roared and bit anyone that tried to remove or disenchant them. For three days, the Slytherins had received detentions and lost points for "incomplete attire", as none of them would dare think to don the cursed ties. Finally, Dumbledore had relented and asked the Charms professor to undo the mess; however, true to form, the headmaster had not seen fit to return the lost points to Slytherin House.

"What would you do if it were up to you?"

Severus closed the book he was reading and looked up at the blonde. "Why do you ask?"

"I wish to be amused."

Snape snorted but said nothing.

"So?" repeated the older boy.

He was rewarded with a sly grin and a twinkle that shone in two very dark eyes. Severus held up three fingers. "Three words. Potions, pranks and psychology." At Lucius' raised eyebrow, he continued. "One. Potions. Always play to not only your own strengths but also their weaknesses. That's potions for me, I surpass them all. Their lack of knowledge in the area will make them nervous."

Lucius could only agree with that. He had seen the other boy correct the damn textbook after all. He nodded for his Housemate to continue.

"Two. Pranks." The blonde looked at Snape with a raised eyebrow. He opened his mouth to remind Severus that pranking was exactly what he had just turned down, but the black-haired boy raised his hand to silence Lucius. "This is when you do something they expect - something they're ready for and can have remedied in a few days time, _but_ \- and this bit is important - make it seem easier to rectify and less of a bother than they think it should be, almost too simple to fix."

Lucius sat back in his armchair and folded his arms. He was watching the other boy's face and noticed how his eyes seem to glint with mischief - the potions prodigy was enjoying this. "That's where the third bit comes in." Snape raised the three last fingers of his right hand. "Psychology." Lucius watched as the other boy seemed to become lost in his thoughts, turning his gaze to the fire. "No one can create horror for a man better than he can. He alone knows what truly terrifies him to his core, what he will be weak for - what will cause him to fight or flee. One's imagination is an incredibly powerful tool. You have your enemies riled up and anxious anyway, they know you went easy on them with the last prank - why? What are you up to?" Severus turned to Lucius again, who had a lopsided smirk on his face and seemed to be looking at him with pride. Severus returned it with an evil smirk of his own. "What was that potion I was creating last week?" He sat back in his own chair, mirroring the folded arms of his blonde counterpart. "It wasn't for class, what am I going to do with it? Why did I ask Slughorn for use of his lab outside of class time? Why did I need to enter the Restricted section? It will drive them mad. Then all it takes is a few indiscreet looks between Slytherins, the odd nasty charms tome to be borrowed from the library - soon their mind has created the worst thing imaginable, they are scared, nay terrified, brash, nervous - they turn on each other because their nerves are frayed, they begin to pick at each other, losing their tempers, little arguments build until a fight breaks out and soon the whole house is divided. And we Slytherins have done nothing but perform a harmless prank a few weeks ago. And alas, Gryffindor will crumble from the inside, and we may watch and enjoy the view."

Severus smirked at the blonde, reached into his pocket for a liquorice mouse, and took himself and his book to bed. Meanwhile, Lucius remained sat, a little in awe of what he had just been told. So little Sevvy had a mind for strategy? Well, he had someone for him to meet. Someone who would appreciate that mind, someone who could use that intelligence for the good of Purebloods. Oh and how well Lucius would be rewarded if he could bring a new Death Eater into the fold! He stood to follow Snape, intent on asking him if he wanted to meet another clever wizard.


End file.
